A creative hub

Nature with a capital “N”!

Winter

Québec has everything fans of sliding sports could want for a rollicking good time. If exploring vast snowy spaces in double time is more your speed, hop on a snowmobile and fly along frozen lakes into the heart of the boreal regions.

Are contemplative pursuits more your style? Strap on a pair of snowshoes or cross-country skis and become one with nature in all her tranquility.

Long live winter's wild side!

Winter gives you the opportunity to delve into unusual pastimes: dogsledding excursions through enchanting forests, ATV escapades on snowy trails, frozen waterfalls waiting to be scaled...

Whether you choose the vast boreal forest, the magical expanses of the Far North or the peaks of the Appalachian mountains, you'll find that winter in Québec is one big adventure!

Winter is a long, peaceful river

Why not join the countless fishing enthusiasts who populate the little huts that dot the St. Lawrence and some of its tributaries where the ice is good and thick? Ice fishing is about more than just catching dinner—although for freshness, it can't be beat. It's about camaraderie and good times.

For animal aficionados, the Gulf of St. Lawrence offers up its pack ice and the chance to observe seals and their young, just off the Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

The city under a glittery blanket

Winter in the city has its own special charms. After skating at an outdoor rink or tubing with the little ones, take in a hockey game or, if you're in Montréal, shop 'til you drop in the warmth of the indoor city.

In Québec City the world-famous Winter Carnival is an absolute must-do, while the nearby Ice Hotel is reborn each year in sparkling glory when the temperature plunges.

Spring

As winter waves good-bye, city dwellers begin to drink in the sun's rays, greedily breathing in the mild air and eagerly enjoying that first cocktail on a café terrace, a picnic beneath a blossoming tree or a healing stroll through the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden.

To properly kick off the season, why not treat yourself to a short stay at a health centre, in the city or the country?

The sugaring off

Following Amerindian custom, the first settlers learned to tap the sugar maple and reduce its sweet water to obtain a thick syrup prized for its flavour, colour and clarity.

This seasonal ritual led to a thriving industry, one that each year produces thousands of hectolitres (hundreds of thousands of quarts) of syrup, taffy and maple sugar—representing 85% of Canada's output.

At the sugar shack

Gather your family or friends and prepare to savour traditional family cooking like you never have before: baked beans, ham, tourtière (meat and pork pie), omelettes, oreilles de crisse (crisp salt fried pork) and a scrumptious selection of maple desserts, not to mention la tire—hot taffy poured on snow and then pulled on a stick before it hardens.

Summer

For Québecers, summer is the perfect excuse to party.

All around, jubilant festival-goers celebrate music, dance, the circus arts and laughter. They marvel at fireworks and hot air balloons and take part in sand-castle competitions. Elite sports events have spectators on the edge of their seats, multimedia shows are presented outdoors and exhibitions of all kinds abound.

Back to basics in the great outdoors

Get up close and personal with nature at our national parks! Observe seals lazing in the sun or indulge in long forest hikes. Paddle on lakes, rivers or even the sea, and while you're at it, enjoy a refreshing dip.

Wish upon falling stars as you listen to the call of the common loon before heading back to your tent.

Living life green

Hop on your bike and explore the many itineraries that make up the Route Verte—it's more than 5,000 km (3,100 mi.) long and passes through most of Québec's regions.

Hit the links at contemporary or classic golf courses in idyllic settings, either close to cities or in outlying areas. Some are known around the world!

Regions waiting to be explored

From mid-June to mid-September, city-dwellers take advantage of the summer weather to enjoy a seaside or lakeside holiday. Heed the call of the open water and cast off on a cruise on the St. Lawrence River.

Dare to venture far from the major centres: visit maritime Québec for fantastic swimming, Abitibi-Témiscamingue for its many lakes and forests, and the Far North for a touch of the exotic.

Autumn

Colourful activities

For active individuals, fall is the ideal season for exploring the countryside on foot or by bike. For those seeking to be entertained, festivals bearing colourful monikers abound in many regions of Québec.

These events revolve around outdoor activities, such as hiking and chair lift rides, and often feature a cultural component.

Gourmet excursions

The apple harvest provides the perfect excuse for setting off on an adventure that’s delicious from so many perspectives. Picking your own apples, savouring a picnic and sampling all kinds of goodies as you roam the orchards that dot the Montérégie, Eastern Townships and Laurentides regions are the ingredients for a fabulous fall day.

For a truly colourful and flavourful excursion, head out to Centre-du-Québec and take in the fascinating cranberry harvest.

Cheers!

What could be more delightful than happening upon pretty vine-strewn hills as you enjoy a drive through the southern Québec countryside. You’re bound to think you’ve arrived in Europe! Our grape growers produce an astonishing variety of wines and would like nothing more than to have you sample them on site.

Not to be outdone, mead, liqueurs and cider—particularly Québec’s highly regarded ice cider—also claim their share of admirers!

The return of the snow geese

On their way from the Far North, tens of thousands of snow geese touch down briefly on the banks of the St. Lawrence before continuing on to their wintering grounds on the east coast of the U.S.

It’s near-impossible to describe the sight of this many birds, on the ground or in full flight, or the din of their calls—you have to experience it for yourself!